<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Strict//EN">
<html>

<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">
<title>Force sensors</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../style.css">
</head>

<body>

<div align="center">
<table class=allEncompassingTable >
 <tr>
  <td >
<p><a href="../index.html" TARGET="_top"><img src="images/homeImg.png"></a></p>



<h1>Force sensors <img src="images/forceSensors1.jpg"></h1>

<p>Force sensors are initially rigid links between two <a href="shapes.htm">shapes</a> that are able to measure transmitted forces and torques. The rigidity of force sensors is conditional, in the sense that force sensors can be <em>broken</em> if a certain condition arises (e.g. if a force or torque threshold is overshot). Following figure illustrates an application using a force sensor:<br>
  <br>
</p>

<p align=center><img src="images/forceSensors2.jpg"></p>
<p class=imageLabel>[Force sensor object (green) measuring the force and torque exerted by a beam (blue) anchored in a wall (red)]</p>
<br>

<p>A force sensor measures a pair of 3 values representing the force on the sensor along the x-, y- and z-axis, and the torque on the sensor about the x-, y- and z-axis:<br>
</p>

<p align=center><img src="images/forceSensors3.jpg"></p>
<p class=imageLabel>[Forces and torques measured by a force sensor]</p>
<br>

<p>Initially, a force sensor acts as a rigid link. During <a href="simulation.htm">simulation</a>, a force sensor can however be <em>broken</em> when a specified force/torque threshold is overshot or when some other user-defined conditions are met. Following figures illustrate the <em>broken</em> state of a force sensor:<br>
</p>

<p align=center><img src="images/forceSensors4.jpg"></p>
<p class=imageLabel>[Broken force sensor]</p>
<br>

<p>A force sensor is only operational during simulation if it is dynamically enabled. For more information on dynamically enabled force sensors, refer also to the section on <a href="designingDynamicSimulations.htm">designing dynamic simulations</a>. <a href="joints.htm">Joints</a> are also able to measure a force or a torque, however only along/about their z-axis. </p>


<p>Force sensors are added to the <a href="scenes.htm">scene</a> with [Menu bar --&gt; Add --&gt; Force sensor].<br>
</p>


<br>
<br>

 </tr>
</table> 
</div>  
  
  
</body>

</html>
